This account of practice explores the use of an action learning programme with a team in a Public Relations agency in Bangkok, Thailand. The programme aimed at improving team and individual performance, including leadership, self-awareness, ownership of work, communication and collaboration. The article describes the context and intended purpose…

Discusses problem solving and why employees need to be trained and educated to solve problems. Highlights include domain knowledge and its role in problem solving; instructional design issues; types of problems; discrete problems versus metaproblems; and the need to prescribe instructional design processes for each type of problem. (LRW)

Explains performance-centered learning (PCL), an approach to optimize support for performance on the job by making corporate assets available to knowledge workers so they can solve actual problems. Illustrates PCL with a Web site that provides just-in-time learning, collaboration, and performance support tools to improve performance at the…

This article builds on previous work that classified types of scenario planning as effective or relevant for particular situations, by adding consideration for levels within the organization. In addition, the argument is built for using a particular form of scenarios to anticipate or explore process level problems and outcomes. The problem of…

Worldwide interest in work and learning is generating a large volume of disparate disconnected studies which can help improve the understanding of both work and learning as separate domains, but which lack an overall perspective. This paper proposes the outline of a conceptual framework for relating work and learning by an individual worker as a…

Discusses high-involvement work teams, in which groups of workers participate in improving their work activities; describes how a typical work team progresses through a project; and introduces a systems model of interrelated steps through which teams may progress to solve problems. (LRW)

The Peer-Assisted Leadership (PAL) Program created at Far West Laboratory (San Francisco, California) gives principals and vice-principals a year-long professional development program to reduce their isolation and improve their instructional leadership performance through nonevaluative peer observation and reflection. A key element is challenge…

Provides eight reasons why a trainer with an instructional technology background and an employee-centered focus on performance improvement should be involved in solving human performance problems. Abilities highlighted include: systematic thinker; systemic thinker; analytical; team player; excellent interpersonal and communication skills; knowing…

Describes the work of performance improvement specialists and presents a method for determining whether a particular person or position meets the job criteria. Discusses the attributes of being a heurist, or taking a holistic approach to problem solving. Lists 10 steps for a needs assessment and 30 characteristics of successful performance…

Discusses three evolving paradigms for supporting learning and work performance: instructional design, performance support, and network systems. Describes an overall trend toward greater flexibility and empowerment, and shows how each paradigm reflects the technologies available at the time of its initial development. (AEF)

The key to an employee-supported evaluation system is involving a significant majority of those affected in the planning process. This article describes the development of a new evaluation system for 200 administrators and supervisiors based on attitude surveys and a large administrator-dominated steering committee. (MLH)

This document consists of three papers presented at a symposium on expertise in organizations moderated by Ross Azevedo at the 1996 conference of the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD). "How Individual Expertise May Be Socially Constructed: A Literature Review" (Abney V. Gleespen) looks at the research to determine the…

Summarizes various stakeholder surveys and factor analyses that attempt to delineate transferable skills, such as problem solving, communication, teamwork, and critical thinking. Points out that employer skill requirements may vary among countries and these differences may not always be cultural, but are related to different uses of terminology…

Presents results of two long-term research projects: (1) shows that early work experience influences an engineer's performance even more than high grades, (2) lack of organizational coordination rather than the lack of innovative ideas inhibits implementation of computer-based technologies. Lists methods for implementing computer-based…

Through self-analysis of job performance, job problem-solving groups, and self-management, special needs students learn how to take control of their actions, solve problems, make appropriate decisions, and maintain skills that will help them to be successful on the job. (BJV)